Bulgaria will provide BGN 148,395 in grants to countries from the Western Balkans and the Eastern Partnership for the financing of projects for the development of education, social integration, and civil society, the government press office said.

The number of the foreign workers registered for seasonal employment in Bulgaria has increased significantly since the beginning of this year. This was announced at a press conference in Smolyan by the Minister of Labor and Social Policy Biser Petkov.

Featuring performers from Greece, Germany, Georgia, France, Turkey, the United States, Russia and China, the 10th Samos Young Artists Festival bridges cultural divides with seven concerts at the open-air theater of Pythagoreion. The concerts pay tribute to 18th- and 19th-century European music and include performances of Italian Baroque and traditional Mediterranean classics.

Unlike Georgia or Ukraine, where public opinion is firmly against Russian interference and united against Russian military aggression, the Moldovan public is evenly divided in its outlook to Europe or Russia.

Foreign Affairs Minister Teodor Melescanu told a news conference on Thursday, occasioned by the launching of the Finnish Presidency at the EU Council, that Romania counts on Finland's support in terms of joining Schengen. "The decision to allow Romania and Bulgaria to join the Schengen Area should be taken into account.

Georgia and Russia traded blame on June 21 for an outbreak of unrest in Tbilisi sparked by the visit of a Russian lawmaker with the Kremlin announcing it would suspend passenger flights between the two countries to protect its citizens.

President Vladimir Putin signed a decree prohibiting airlines from July 8 from transporting Russians to Georgia and recommended that tour operators not sell packages for excursions to the Caucasus state. The head of state also ordered the government to secure the return of the Russians temporarily residing in Georgia.

Crowds angry over the visit of a Russian lawmaker tried to storm Georgia's parliament building on June 20 evening, pushing against lines of riot police, throwing bottles and grabbing riot shields from some officers and tearing off their helmets.